Junction Box of a Recessed Luminaire for Installation in Shallow Spaces

ABSTRACT

A junction box includes a first cover plate that covers a first open side defined by a main body, and a second cover plate that covers a second open side defined by the main body. The second cover plate includes a mounting pad to attach an electrical component thereto. The electrical component is disposed in an inner cavity defined by the main body when the second cover plate is in a closed position. Further, the junction box includes a fastening device that retains the first cover plate and the second cover plate in the closed position and operates without interfering with a mounting structure in which the junction box is disposed. Furthermore, the junction box includes chamfer walls and wire traps disposed thereon to receive and pass electrical wiring cables into the junction box therethrough.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/587,285, filed May 4, 2017, andtitled “Junction Box of a Recessed Luminaire for Installation in ShallowSpaces.” This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/587,298, filed May 4, 2017, and titled “Plaster Frame Assembly forRecessed Luminaires.” The entire content of the foregoing applicationsis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to lightingsystems, and more particularly to a junction box associated withrecessed luminaires for installation in shallow spaces.

BACKGROUND

Luminaires, such as recessed luminaires, are used in many residential,commercial, and industrial applications. Generally, the space in whichto install a recessed luminaire and supporting components of therecessed luminaire, such as a junction box, is limited. For example, aceiling space in which to install the recessed luminaire and thejunction box may be approximately 3.5 inches, which is very shallow.Conventional junction boxes associated with recessed luminaires are notconfigured for installation in such shallow ceiling spaces while alsoproviding adequate clearance for the hanger bars and the hanger barfastening mechanisms that are used to mount the recessed luminaires inthe shallow ceiling space. Further, conventional junction boxes that areused with incandescent light source based recessed luminaires have alarger footprint since the conventional junction boxes are designed tosupport transformers on an outer surface of the conventional junctionboxes in separate transformer enclosures away from the electrical wiringin the conventional junction boxes. The larger footprint of theconventional junction boxes may be undesirable for installation in tightspaces. Furthermore, conventional junction boxes and components disposedwithin the conventional junction boxes are not easily accessible forservicing and/or inspection.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure can relate to a junction box thatincludes a main body. In particular, the main body defines an open sideon one side of the main body and comprises one or more chamfer walls.Further, the junction box includes one or more wire traps disposed on atleast one chamfer wall of the one or more chamfer walls. Each wire trapis configured to receive and pass an electrical wiring cabletherethrough. Furthermore, the junction box includes a cover plate thathas a side wall and a component mounting wall that extends substantiallyperpendicular to the side wall from at least a portion of a longitudinaledge of the side wall. The cover plate also includes a mounting pad thatis formed in the component mounting wall. The cover plate is removablycoupled to the main body and configured to cover the open side when thecover plate is in the closed position, and attach an electricalcomponent to the mounting pad using a fastener. The electrical componentis associated with an operation of a luminaire.

In another aspect, the present disclosure can relate to a junction boxthat includes a main body. In particular, the main body defines a firstopen side and a second open side. Further, the junction box includes afirst cover plate that is hingedly and removably coupled to the mainbody and configured to cover the first open side defined by the mainbody when the first cover plate is in a closed position. Furthermore,the junction box includes a second cover plate that is removably coupledto the main body and configured to cover the second open side defined bythe main body when the second cover plate is in the closed position.Additionally, the junction box includes a fastening device thatcomprises a pair of fastening features that are configured to retain thefirst cover plate and the second cover plate in the closed position andoperate without interfering with a mounting structure in which thejunction box is disposed when the pair of fastening features arereleased.

These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments, will beapparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The foregoing and other features and aspects of the present disclosureare best understood with reference to the following description ofcertain example embodiments, when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example junction box that iscoupled to a plaster frame, in accordance with example embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective view of the junction box of FIG.1 that is coupled to the plaster frame, in accordance with exampleembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the junction box of FIG. 1 that iscoupled to the plaster frame and disposed in a shallow ceiling space, inaccordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates another side view of the junction box of FIG. 1 thatis coupled to the plaster frame and disposed in a shallow ceiling space,in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another perspective view of the junction box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with example embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the junction box of FIG. 1, inaccordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates another exploded view of the junction box of FIG. 1,in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the junction box of FIG. 1with a transformer installed therein, in accordance with exampleembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates the junction box of FIG. 1 with a first cover plateof the junction box in a hinged open position, in accordance withexample embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate how the second cover plate of the junction box ofFIG. 1 is opened and the transformer coupled thereto is accessed, inaccordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective view of the junction box of FIG. 1with a vertically oriented electrical wiring cable entering the junctionbox when installed in a mounting structure, such as a ceiling having alarger plenum space, in accordance with example embodiments of thepresent disclosure; and

FIG. 15 illustrates a top view of the junction box without the wiretraps, in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure.

The drawings illustrate only example embodiments of the presentdisclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope,as the present disclosure may admit to other equally effectiveembodiments. The elements and features shown in the drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally,certain dimensions or positioning may be exaggerated to help visuallyconvey such principles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure describes an example junction box that isdesigned for installation is shallow spaces, for example in buildingswhere the plenum space between the lower finished surface ceiling(herein ‘lower ceiling’) and the upper structural ceiling (herein ‘upperceiling’) is shallow. While typically the plenum space refers to thespace between the upper ceiling and the lower ceiling, one of ordinaryskill in the art can understand and appreciate that in some exampleembodiments, the shallow plenum space may refer to the space between thelower ceiling and the ducts (or other similar wiring or piping) that arerouted through and disposed in the plenum space without departing from abroader scope of the present disclosure.

The junction box of the present disclosure includes a main body thatdefines a first open side on one side of the main body, a second openside on an opposite side of the main body, and an inner cavity definedbetween the two open sides and the main body. Further, the junction boxincludes a first cover plate that is hingedly and removably coupled tothe main body to cover the first open side defined by the main body ofthe junction box. Furthermore, the junction box includes a second coverplate that is removably coupled to the main body to cover the secondopen side defined by the main body of the junction box. The second coverplate includes a component mounting wall to which an electricalcomponent, such as a low wattage transformer associated with theoperation of a light emitting diode (LED) based recessed luminaire, canbe coupled such that the electrical component and the second cover plateis movable and accessible as a single unit. For example, to access theelectrical component for servicing (replacement) or inspection, a usermay decouple and remove the second cover plate along with the electriccomponent attached thereto as a single unit; service or inspect theelectrical device; and/or couple or re-install the second cover platewith the electric device attached thereto as a single unit. Inparticular, the second cover plate and the electric component attachedthereto may be removed from below (opposite side of ceiling, e.g.,floor) through a can receiving opening in the plaster frame on which thejunction box is mounted.

Additionally, the electrical component that is attached to the secondcover plate is retained within the inner cavity of the junction box whenthe second cover plate is in a closed position. In particular, the firstcover plate and the second cover plate are coupled to the main body suchthat the inner cavity is enclosed when the first cover plate and thesecond cover plate are in the closed position.

Further, the junction box includes a fastening device that is adaptedto: (a) allow access to the inner cavity of the junction box withoutinterference of the fastening device with a mounting structure, such asan upper ceiling, when installed in a shallow plenum space, and (b)retain the first cover plate and the second cover plate in the closedposition. In particular, the fastening device includes an elongatedbody, regressed neck structures disposed on opposite ends the elongatedbody, and fastening features (e.g., springs) that are coupled to theregressed neck structures such that the fastening features are disposedat a certain distance below the elongated body by the regressed neckstructures. The fastening device may be coupled to the main body of thejunction box such that the fastening features on the opposite ends ofthe elongated body engage the respective first and second cover platesto retain the first and second cover plates in a closed position.Corresponding notches may be formed in the first cover plate and thesecond cover plate to accommodate the regressed neck structures of thecoupling device. It is noted that the fastening features of thefastening device are positioned at a certain distance below theelongated body of the fastening device to allow the fastening device tobe operated (e.g., to open and close the first and second cover plates)without interfering with the upper ceiling when the junction box isinstalled in a shallow plenum space.

Furthermore, the main body of the junction box includes one or morechamfer walls disposed adjacent a top wall of the main body. The chamferwalls include one or more openings that retain wire traps that areconfigured to receive and pass one or more electrical wire carryingcables (herein ‘electrical wiring cables’) therethrough. Some of theopenings in the chamfer walls are configured to directly receiveelectrical wiring cables therethrough without the wire traps. In eithercase, positioning the openings and/or wire traps on the chamfer wallsallow electrical wiring cables that are horizontally oriented within theplenum space (herein ‘horizontally oriented electrical wiring cables’)and electrical wiring cables that are vertically oriented within theplenum space (herein ‘vertically oriented electrical wiring cables’) toenter the junction box without having to considerably bend theelectrical wiring cables, thereby minimizing any damage to theelectrical wiring cables.

In contrast, conventional junction boxes that have wire receivingopenings on a top wall can receive vertically oriented electrical wiringcables through the wire receiving openings on the top wall withoutconsiderably bending the electrical wiring cables. However, horizontallyoriented electrical wiring cables have to be considerably bent(approximately 90 degrees) to enter the conventional junction boxesthrough the wire receiving openings on the top wall which may causestress and damage to the electrical wiring cables. Similarly, otherconventional junction boxes that have wire receiving openings on a sidewall can receive horizontally oriented electrical wiring cables throughthe wire receiving openings on the side wall without considerablybending the electrical wiring cables. However, vertically orientedelectrical wiring cables have to be considerably bent (approximately 90degrees) to enter the conventional junction boxes through the wirereceiving openings on the side wall. In other words, conventionaljunction boxes are not configured to receive both the verticallyoriented electrical wiring cables and the horizontally orientedelectrical wiring cables without considerably bending one of thevertically oriented electrical wiring cables and the horizontallyoriented electrical wiring cables.

While the figures shown and described herein are directed to junctionboxes in luminaires, example junction boxes can also be used in otherapplications aside from luminaires, including but not limited to motorcontrol centers, relay cabinets, and enclosures. Thus, the examples ofjunction boxes described herein are not limited to luminaires. Further,with respect to luminaires, while the example embodiments describedherein are directed to recessed luminaires, example embodiments (orportions thereof) can also be used for non-recessed luminaires.

Any example junction box, or portions (e.g., features) thereof,described herein can be made from a single piece (as from a mold). Whenan example junction box portion thereof is made from a single piece, thesingle piece can be cut out, bent, stamped, and/or otherwise shaped tocreate certain features, elements, or other portions of a component. Forexample, at least a portion of the junction box can be made from asingle sheet where various portions are cut out, bent, shaped, andotherwise manipulated to form an example junction box. Alternatively, anexample junction box (or portions thereof) can be made from multiplepieces that are mechanically coupled to each other. In such a case, themultiple pieces can be mechanically coupled to each other using one ormore of a number of coupling methods, including but not limited toepoxy, welding, fastening devices, compression fittings, mating threads,and slotted fittings. One or more pieces that are mechanically coupledto each other can be coupled to each other in one or more of a number ofways, including but not limited to fixedly, hingedly, removeably,slidably, and threadably. In addition, each component and/or featuredescribed herein can be made of one or more of a number of suitablematerials, including but not limited to metal, and plastic.

A coupling feature (including a complementary coupling feature), afastening feature, and/or a fastening device as described herein canallow one or more components and/or portions of an example junction boxto become mechanically coupled, directly or indirectly, to a portion(e.g., a frame) of a luminaire and/or to another portion of the junctionbox. A coupling feature can include, but is not limited to, a portion ofa hinge, an aperture (as shown), a slot, a spring clip, a tab, a detent,and a mating thread. One coupling feature, fastening feature, and/or afastening device described herein can be the same as, or different than,one or more other coupling features, fastening features, and/or afastening devices described herein.

Example embodiments of junction boxes will be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichexample embodiments of junction boxes are shown. Junction boxes may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theseexample embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will bethorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of junction boxesto those of ordinary skill in the art. Like, but not necessarily thesame, elements (also sometimes called components) in the various figuresare denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. Terms such as“first,” “second,” “top,” “base,” “open,” and “closed” are used merelyto distinguish one component (or part of a component or state of acomponent) from another. Such terms are not meant to denote a preferenceor a particular orientation.

Moving now to discuss the figures, FIGS. 1-15 will describe one or moreexample embodiments of a junction box that is configured forinstallation in shallow spaces. Referring to FIGS. 1-15, an examplejunction box 102 that is configured for installation in a shallow plenumspace 390 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, also indicated as ‘d’) between anupper ceiling 304 and a lower ceiling 302 is shown. For example, theshallow plenum space may have a height between 3 and 4 inches. In oneexample, the plenum space 390 may be 3.5 inches. Even though the presentdisclosure describes the shallow plenum space in terms of a heightbetween the upper and lower ceilings (304, 302), it is noted that theterm ‘shallow plenum space’ may refer to a height, a length, a breadth,a volume, an area, or any tight installation space without departingfrom a broader scope of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-15, the example junction box 102 may include amain body 104, a first cover plate 108, a second cover plate 106, one ormore wire traps 120, and a fastening device 112 for retaining the firstand second cover plates (106, 108) in a closed position. In particular,the main body 104 of the junction box 102 may include a base wall 502(shown in FIG. 5) that has a longitudinal edge 171 and a mounting wall130 that extends substantially perpendicular to the base wall 502 fromthe longitudinal edge 171. The mounting wall 130 may include one or moremounting and coupling features 595 (shown in FIG. 5) in the form of amounting tab 132 having an aperture 709 (shown in FIG. 7), mountingwings 515, and mounting feet 512 (shown in FIG. 5). Said mounting andcoupling features 595 of the junction box 102 may be configured to mountand mechanically couple the junction box 102 to the plaster frame 150.

For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 and 10-13, the junction box 102may be mechanically coupled to the plaster frame 150 using a fastener152, such as a threaded screw, that is passed through an aperture 709disposed in the mounting tab 132 of the junction box 102, an aperture160 disposed on a mounting tab 156 (shown on different side wall forclarity) of the plaster frame 150, and an aperture 199 on the base 159of the plaster frame that are axially aligned with each other. Further,when the junction box 102 is mounted and mechanically coupled to theplaster frame 150, other mounting and coupling features 181 of theplaster frame 150, such as openings defined by the receiving tabs 155and notches 197 in the mounting flange 193 may receive complementarymounting and coupling features 595 of the junction box 102, such as themounting feet 512 and mounting wings 515, respectively. In particular,the coupling and mating features 181 of the plaster frame 150 may beconfigured to prevent the junction box 102 from moving further downwardtoward and/or rotating from a vertical position with respect to theplaster frame 150.

In certain example embodiments, the mounting wall 130 may be configuredto provide a clearance between the base wall 502 of the junction box 102and the lower ceiling 302 for accommodating, accessing, and manipulatingthe hanger bar assemblies 306 and the fastening mechanism associatedwith hanger bar assemblies as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 and 10-13, one or more of the mounting andcoupling features 181 of plaster frame 150 may be formed on one or moreof the side walls 154 of the plaster frame 150. In certain exampleembodiments, since each (or at least more than one) of the side walls154 of the plaster frame 150 is similarly arranged with respect to thecoupling and mating features 181, the junction box 102 may be coupled toany one of the side walls 154 that may have appropriate features tomount and couple the junction box. That is, the junction box 102 can bemoved by a user, changing positions and/or orientations of the junctionbox 102 relative to the plaster frame 150 as desired. For example, thejunction box 210 can be moved with or without the use of tools (e.g.,wrench, screwdriver) from one side wall to another side wall of theplaster frame 105.

In addition to mounting the junction box 102, the plaster frame 150 maybe configured to mount other components of a luminaire such as arecessed housing can 310 (shown in FIG. 3), a light source disposedinside the recessed housing can 310, etc. Accordingly, the plaster frame150 may include a base 159 that includes a can receiving opening 113 anda plurality of sealing tabs 157 that are configured to operate inconcert to receive, retain, and/or seal the recessed housing can 310(shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) within the plaster frame 150. Further, theplaster frame 150 may include optional hanger bar assemblies 306 thatare configured to couple the plaster frame to support structures (e.g.,a wall, a piece of wood (joists, rafters, etc.), a metal frame, aconcrete pillar) of a mounting structure, such as a ceiling, formounting the plaster frame and the components supported by the plasterframe, e.g., the junction box 102, recessed housing can 310, etc., inthe mounting structure.

In certain example embodiments, in addition to the base wall 502 and themounting wall 130, the main body 104 of the junction box 102 may includea pair of side walls 128 extending substantially perpendicular to thebase wall 502 from opposite lateral edges 173 and 177 (shown in FIGS. 1and 2) of the base wall 502. Further, the main body 104 may include atop wall 103 and a pair of chamfer walls 110 that are disposed on eitherend of the top wall 103. In particular, one chamfer wall 110 may bedisposed between one end of the top wall 103 and one side wall 128 ofthe pair of side walls, while the other chamfer wall 110 may be disposedbetween an opposite end of the top wall 103 and the other side wall 128of the pair of side walls such that the chamfer walls 110 define anobtuse angle (inner angles 379 shown in FIG. 3) with the top wall 103and the corresponding side wall 128.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the chamfer walls 110 may include one or moreslots 1502 that are configured to receive and retain wire traps 120.Further, the chamfer walls 110 may also include one or more apertures715 (shown in FIGS. 7 and 15) that are configured to directly receivewiring conduits 122 without the use of the wire trap 120.

The wire traps 120 may be coupled (e.g., fixedly, slidably, removably)to a slot 1502 in the chamfer walls 110 in any suitable manner. Eachwire trap 120 can be used to pass an electrical wiring cable 124therethrough, where electrical wiring cable 124 can include a singleconductor or multiple conductors 126. In particular, each wire trap 120may include a base 121 and a cap 123 that may be hingedly coupled to thebase 121. Typically, the cap 123 of the wire trap 120 may remain in aclosed position. However, when an electrical wiring cable is to beinserted into the junction box 102, as shown by wire trap 120 a, the cap123 may be opened to expose an opening in the base 121 through which theelectrical wiring cable 124 may be inserted into the junction box 102.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and 9-13, in one or more example embodimentswhere the junction box 102 is installed in a shallow plenum space 390,the wire traps 102 in the chamfer walls 110 may be configured to receivehorizontally oriented electrical wiring cables 124 from a side of thejunction box 102. Alternatively, in other example embodiments wherelarger plenum space is available, the wire traps 102 in the chamferwalls 110 may be configured to receive vertically oriented electricalwiring cables 1602 (or horizontally oriented electrical wiring cables124) from above the junction box 102, as illustrated in FIG. 14. Ineither case, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and 9-14, disposing the wiretraps 120 in the chamfer walls 110 allow both the horizontally orientedand vertically oriented electrical wiring cables (124, 1602) to enterthe junction box 102 with a slight bend (less than 90 degrees) adjacentto a point of entry of the electrical wiring cables (124, 1602) into thejunction box 102 in contrast to conventional junction boxes where theelectrical wiring cables have to be substantially bent (e.g.,approximately 90 degree) to enter the junction box 102.

In some example embodiments, the chamfer walls 110 may define asubstantially 45 degree slope, while, in other example embodiments, thechamfer walls 110 may define a slope having any other acute anglewithout departing from a broader scope of the present disclosure. Incertain example embodiments, the slope of the chamfer walls 110 may bedefined such that the cap 123 of the wire trap 120 that is disposed inthe chamfer walls 110 does not interfere with a mounting structure, suchas the upper ceiling 304, when cap 123 is opened to pass an electricalwiring cable therethrough.

In addition to the slots 1502 and openings 1504 in the chamfer walls 110of the main body 104, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, 5-7, and 9-15, thetop wall 103 and the side walls 128 of the main body 104 may include oneor more knockouts 116 that can be removed from the main body 104 usingappropriate tools or by applying manual pressure to create openings thatare configured to receive one or more conductors therethrough.

In certain example embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the basewall 502, the pair of side walls 128, the top wall 103, and the chamferwalls 110 of the main body 104 may be arranged such that they define afirst open side 673 on one side of the main body 102, a second open side671 on an opposite side of the main body 104, and an inner cavity 802disposed in between the open sides (671, 673) and the walls (502, 128,110, and 103) of the main body 103. Even though the present disclosuredescribes the main body 104 as having multiple walls (502, 128, 130,110, and 103), one of ordinary skill in the art can understand andappreciate that the multiple walls may be configured and referred to asa single wall that defines the main body 104, the first open side 673,the second open side 671, and the inner cavity 802 without departingfrom a broader scope of the present disclosure.

In addition to the main body 104, the junction box 102 may also includea first cover plate 108, a second cover plate 106, and a fasteningdevice 112 that is configured to retain the first cover plate 108 andthe second cover plate 106 in a closed position. In particular, thefirst cover plate 108 can have any appropriate shape that allows thefirst cover plate 108, when engaged with the fastening device 112 andcoupled to the base wall 502, to cover the first open side 673 of mainbody 104 and, in some example embodiments, at least a portion of thebottom of the main body 104 so that little or no gap exists between thefirst cover plate 108 and the bottom of the main body 104. Asillustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the first cover plate 108 may include a sidewall 504, a bottom wall 506 that extends substantially perpendicular tothe side wall 504 from a longitudinal edge 601 of the side wall 504, andone or more coupling features 508 disposed on an edge of the bottom wall506 that is distant from the side wall 504. The side wall 504 may beshaped such that it can cover the first open side 673 of the junctionbox 102 that is left open by the walls (502, 128, 110, and 103) of themain body 104, while the bottom wall 506 may be shaped such that it cancover a notch 651 in the bottom of main body 104 that is defined by anedge 609 of the base wall 502.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the coupling features 508 can be tabs thathave a hooked end. However, one of ordinary skill in the art canunderstand and appreciate that any other appropriate coupling featuremay be used in other example embodiments without departing from abroader scope of the present disclosure. The coupling features 508 ofthe first cover plate 108 may be used to hingedly and removably couplethe first cover plate 108 to the main body 104 by inserting the couplingfeatures 508 of the first cover plate 108 through complementary couplingfeatures 702 (e.g., slots, apertures) in the base wall 502 of the mainbody 104 that are formed adjacent the edge 609 of the base wall 502. Insome example embodiments, the coupling features 508 of the first coverplate 108 may be configured to fit through the complementary couplingfeatures 702 in the base wall 502 of the main body 104 only when thecoupling features 508 are inserted into the complementary couplingfeatures 702 at a certain angle. For example, the coupling features 508of the first cover plate 108 may only fit into the complementarycoupling features 702 of the base wall 502 when the side wall 504 of thefirst cover plate 104 is substantially parallel with the base wall 502of the main body 104 (such as in an open position shown in FIG. 9). Inother example embodiments, the coupling features 508 of the first coverplate 108 may fit through the complementary coupling features 702 in thebase wall 502 of the main body 104 when the coupling features 508 areinserted into the complementary coupling features 702 at any appropriateangle without departing from a broader scope of the present disclosure.

Once the first cover plate 108 is hingedly coupled to the main body 104using the coupling features 508, the first cover plate 108 can be movedor rotated about the base wall 502 from a closed position (shown inFIGS. 1-5, 8, and 14) to an open position 900 (shown in FIG. 9) andvice-versa, while still being coupled to the base wall 502 of thejunction box 102. In the closed position, the side wall 504 of firstcover plate 108 may cover the first open side 673 of the main body 104,while the bottom wall 506 may cover a notch 651 defined in the base wall502 of the main body 104. Accordingly, in one or more exampleembodiments, the bottom wall 506 of the first cover plate 108 may beshaped substantially similar to the shape of the notch 651 defined bythe edge 609 of the base wall 502.

Once the first cover plate 108 is rotated to a closed position, thefirst cover plate 108 may be retained in the closed position by usingthe fastening device 112. For example, one of the fastening features 118of the fastening device 112 may be received in an opening 119 defined inthe side wall 504 of the first cover plate 108 to retain the first coverplate 108 in the closed position. The opening 119 may be formed bycutting and bending out a tab 621 from a side wall 504 of the firstcover plate 108 as illustrated in FIG. 7. The side wall 504 of the firstcover plate 108 may also include a notch 608 that is formed on a topedge of the side wall 504 and above the opening 119 to receive aregressed neck structure 117 of the fastening device 112 that positionsthe fastening feature 118 at a certain distance below the elongated body602 of the fastening device 112.

Similar to the first cover plate 108, the second cover plate 106 of thejunction box 102 may include a side wall 610 that may be configured andappropriately shaped to cover the second open side 671 of the main body104 when the second cover plate 106 is engaged with the fastening device112 and coupled to the base wall 502. Further, the second cover plate106 may include a component mounting wall 612 that extends substantiallyperpendicular to the side wall 610 from at least a portion of alongitudinal edge 603 of the side wall 610 as illustrated in FIG. 6. Thecomponent mounting wall 612 of the second cover plate 106 may include amounting pad 614 and a regressed surface 616 (e.g., convex surface)disposed on opposite sides of the mounting pad 614. The regressedsurface 616 may be a surface that is raised or elevated above aremainder portion of the component mounting wall 612 such that itdefines a cavity 618.

The mounting pad 614 may be configured to mount and securely retain anelectrical component 804 (shown in FIGS. 8 and 9-13), such as atransformer, on the second cover plate 106 using a fastener 1402 (shownin FIG. 14), such as a screw, that is passed through a coupling aperture624 in the mounting pad 614 and the electrical component 804. In otherwords, the electrical component 804 may be attached to the mounting pad614 of the second cover plate 106 using a fastener 1402 such that thesecond cover plate 106 and the electrical component 804 may be accessedand/or moved as a single unit as illustrated in FIGS. 10-13.

In addition to the side wall 610 and the component mounting wall 612,the second cover plate 106 may further include a pair of mounting feet706 that are configured to removably couple the second cover plate 106(and/or the electrical component 804 attached thereto) to the base wall502 of the main body 104. In particular, the second cover plate 106 maybe removably coupled to the base wall 502 of the main body 104 byinserting the mounting feet 706 of the second cover plate 106 throughcorresponding mating slots 704 in the base wall 502 that are formedadjacent to the longitudinal edge 171 of the base wall 502. Once thesecond cover plate 106 is removably coupled to the main body 104, thesecond cover plate 106 can be moved or rotated about the base wall 502from a closed position (shown in FIGS. 1-5, 8, and 14) to a partiallyopen position 1000 (shown in FIG. 10) and vice-versa.

In the closed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the side wall610 of the second cover plate 106 may cover the second open side 671that is defined by the walls (502, 128, 110, and 103) of the main body104. Further, in the closed position, the component mounting wall 612 ofthe second cover plate 106 may be disposed on the base wall 502 of themain body 104 such that the component mounting wall 612 and theelectrical device 802 attached to the mounting pad 614 of the componentmounting wall 612 are disposed in the inner cavity 802 defined by themain body 104.

Furthermore, in the closed position, the regressed surfaces 616 of thecomponent mounting wall 612 may be disposed above the coupling features702 (e.g., slots, apertures) of base wall 502 such that the cavity 618defined by the regressed surfaces 616 may accommodate a portion of thecoupling features 508 (e.g., hooked ends) of the first cover plate 108that project into the cavity 802 when the coupling features 508 of thefirst cover plate 108 are inserted through the coupling features 702 ofthe base wall 502 to hingedly couple the first cover plate 108 to thebase wall 502 of the main body 104. In other words, when the secondcover plate 106 is in the closed position and when the coupling features508 of the first cover plate 108 remain hingedly coupled to thecomplementary coupling features 702 of the base wall 502, then thesecond cover plate 106 may trap the coupling feature 508 of the firstcover plate 108 between the recessed surfaces 616 of the second coverplate 106 and the base wall 502 to prevent the coupling features 508 ofthe first cover plate 108 from becoming decoupled from the couplingfeatures 702 of the base wall 502 when the second cover plate 106 ismoved from the closed position to the open position 900 (shown in FIG.9). Such a configuration may be called a hinged and captiveconfiguration. That is, the first cover plate 108 and the second coverplate 106 may be coupled to the base wall 502 of the junction box 102and arranged with respect to each other in a hinged and captiveconfiguration.

Similar to the first cover plate 108, once the second cover plate 106 isrotated to a closed position, the second cover plate 106 may be retainedin the closed position by using the fastening device 112. For example,one of the fastening features 118 of the fastening device 112 may bereceived in an opening 119 defined in the side wall 610 of the secondcover plate 106 to retain the second cover plate 106 in the closedposition. The opening 119 may be formed by cutting and bending out a tab621 from a side wall 610 of the second cover plate 106 as illustrated inFIG. 6. In addition to the opening 119, the side wall 610 of the secondcover plate 106 may also include a notch 608 that is formed on a topedge of the side wall 610 and above the opening 119 to receive aregressed neck structure 117 of the fastening device 112 that positionsthe fastening feature 118 at a certain distance below the elongated body602 of the fastening device 112.

When the first cover plate 108 and the second cover plate 106 are bothretained in a closed position by the fastening device 112, the innercavity 802 and the electrical component 804 disposed therein may not beaccessible to a user. In other words, when the first cover plate 108 andthe second cover plate 106 are both in a closed position, the junctionbox 210 and the inner cavity 802 defined by the main body 802 of thejunction box 102 are completely enclosed. When the first cover plate 108and/or the second cover plate 106 are not in a closed position, i.e.,when they are in an open position, the inner cavity 802 and theelectrical component 804 disposed therein may be partially or fullyaccessible. For example, when the respective fastening features 118 ofthe fastening device 112 that retains the first cover plate 108 and thesecond cover plate 106 in the closed position are released, the firstcover plate 108 and the second cover plate 106 may move from the closedposition to an open position 900 (shown in FIG. 9) and partially openposition 1000 (shown in FIG. 10), respectively.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, one elongated side, e.g., thefirst open side 673 of the junction box 102 may be accessed by releasingthe fastening feature 118 of the fastening device 112 to allow the firstcover plate 108 to rotate away from the base wall 502 and expose theinner cavity 812 of the junction box 102. When the first cover plate 108rotates to the open position, the bottom wall 612 of the second coverplate 106 maintains the movable coupling between the coupling features508 of the first cover plate 108 and the coupling features 702 of thebase wall 502.

Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, another elongated side, e.g.,the second open side 671 of the junction box 102 may be accessed byreleasing the fastening feature 118 of the fastening device 112 to allowthe second cover plate 106 to rotate away from the closed position to apartially open position 1000. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 11, thesecond cover plate 106 and the electronic component 804 attached theretomay be pushed up as a single unit to release or disengage the mountingfeet 706 of the second cover plate 106 from the complementary couplingslots 704 in the base wall 502. Once the mounting feet 706 of the secondcover plate 106 are released or disengaged from the complementarycoupling slots 704 in the base wall 502, as illustrated in FIG. 12, thesecond cover plate 106 and the electronic component 804 attached theretomay be released from the junction box 102 as a single unit and moved asa single unit to a position 1200 above the can receiving opening 113(after removing the recessed can 310) of the plaster frame 150. Then, asillustrated in FIG. 13, the second cover plate 106 with the electroniccomponent 804 attached thereto may be reoriented to a position 1300 byrotating the second cover plate 106 along a horizontal axis that isparallel to the component mounting wall 612 of the second cover plate106. Responsively, the reoriented second cover plate 106 and theelectronic component 804 attached thereto may be removed as a singleunit through the can receiving opening 113 in the plaster frame 150. Inthis manner, the electronic component 804 disposed in the inner cavity802 of the junction box 102 may be accessed for servicing and/orinspection. Once the servicing and/or inspection of the electroniccomponent 804 is completed, the second cover plate 106 and theelectronic component 804 attached thereto may be coupled to orre-installed in the junction box 102 as a single unit by following thesteps illustrated in FIGS. 10-13 in reverse order, i.e., starting withFIG. 13 and proceeding to FIG. 10. The second cover plate 106 that is inthe partially open position 1000 may be rotated back to the closedposition and retained in the closed position using the fastening device112.

In certain example embodiments, the fastening device 112 may bemechanically coupled (e.g., fixedly, removably) to the main body 104(e.g., top wall 103) using fasteners 114 (e.g., a rivet, a screw) suchthat fastening features 118 (e.g., spring clips) disposed on oppositeends of the fastening device 112 may be removably coupled to the firstcover plate 108 and the second cover plate 106 to retain the coverplates (106, 108) in the closed position. In particular, as illustratedin FIGS. 6 and 7, the fastening device 112 of the junction box 102 mayhave an elongated body 602 and a fastening feature 118, such as a springclip disposed on opposite ends of the elongated body 602. Further, thefastening device 112 may include a regressed neck structure 117extending substantially perpendicular to the elongated body 602 fromeither end of the elongated body 602. The fastening features 118 may becoupled to the distal ends of the regressed neck structures 117 that areaway from the elongated body 602 such that regressed neck structures 117are disposed between the elongated body 602 and the fastening features118. The regressed neck structures 117 are configured to dispose thefastening features 118 at a certain distance below the elongated body602 such that fastening features 118 do not interfere with mountingstructure, such as the upper ceiling 304 when the fastening features 118are released from the openings 119 in the first and/or second coverplates (106, 108).

The elongated body 602 can have one or more of a number of couplingfeatures 604 (e.g., apertures, tabs) disposed along its length. Suchcoupling features 604 can be used to mechanically couple the elongatedbody 602 (and, thereby, the fastening device 112) to the main body 104.For example, the fastening device 112 may be coupled to the main body104 of the junction box 102 by positioning the elongated body 602 of thefastening device 112 on the top wall 103 of the main body 104 such thatthe coupling features 604 on the elongated body 602 may axially alignwith the one or more of a number of complementary coupling features 689(e.g., apertures, slots) on the top wall 103 of the main body 104, andpassing one or more fasteners through the aligned coupling features(604, 689) of the fastening device 112 and the main body 104. Further,the fastening device 112 may be coupled to the main body 104 of thejunction box 102 such that the regressed neck structure 117, and thefastening feature 118 of on one end of the fastening device 112 engagesthe notch 608 and opening 119 defined in the first cover plate 108, andthe regressed neck structure 117 and the fastening feature 118 of theopposite end of the fastening device 112 engages the notch 608 andopening 119 defined in the second cover plate 108. Accordingly, thefastening features 118 of the fastening device 112 may be used, at leastin part, to mechanically couple the first cover plate 108 and/or thesecond cover plate 106 to the main body 104 of the junction box 102 andto retain the first cover plate 108 and/or the second cover plate 106 ina closed position.

Certain example embodiments provide a number of benefits. Examples ofsuch benefits include, but are not limited to, simplified installation,simplified inspection, simplified maintenance, installation of aluminaires (including the junction boxes) in relatively small spaces,minimized damage to electrical wiring cables, reduced size or footprintof the luminaire, and reduced cost.

Although the present disclosure is described with reference to exampleembodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications are well within the scope of the presentdisclosure. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that anembodiment of the present disclosure overcomes the limitations of theprior art. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the presentdisclosure is not limited to any specifically discussed application andthat the embodiments described herein are illustrative and notrestrictive. From the description of the example embodiments,equivalents of the elements shown therein will suggest themselves tothose skilled in the art, and ways of constructing other embodiments ofthe present disclosure will suggest themselves to practitioners of theart. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limitedherein.

1. A junction box comprising: a main body comprising a top wall, a basewall, a pair of junction box side walls and a chamfer wall, the mainbody defining a first open side and a second open side; a wire trapdisposed on the chamfer wall, the wire trap to receive and pass anelectrical wiring cable therethrough; and a cover plate that comprises:a cover plate side wall and a component mounting wall that receives anelectrical component and that extends inwardly and substantiallyperpendicular from the cover plate side wall into an inner cavitydefined by the main body, wherein the cover plate is removably coupledto the main body of the junction box and, when the cover plate is in theclosed position, the cover plate covers the first open side.
 2. Thejunction box of claim 1: wherein the electrical component is disposed inthe inner cavity when the cover plate is in the closed position.
 3. Thejunction box of claim 2, wherein the electrical component is atransformer.
 4. The junction box of claim 1, wherein the junction boxfurther comprises: a second cover plate that is removably coupled to themain body and covers the second open side; and an elongated fasteningdevice that comprises: a first fastening feature that couples to thecover plate, and a second fastening feature that couples to the secondcover plate.
 5. The junction box of claim 4: wherein the elongatedfastening device further comprises a first regressed neck structurecoupled to the first fastening feature and a second regressed neckstructure coupled to the second fastening feature.
 6. The junction boxof claim 5: wherein the cover plate comprises a first notch to receivethe first regressed neck structure and a first opening formed adjacentto the first notch to receive the first fastening feature, and whereinthe second cover plate comprises a second notch to receive the secondregressed neck structure and a second opening formed adjacent to thesecond notch to receive the second fastening feature.
 7. The junctionbox of claim 1: wherein the cover plate side wall includes a pair ofmounting feet that are configured to engage complementary mating slotsin the base wall of the main body to removably couple the cover plate tothe main body.
 8. The junction box of claim 4: wherein the second coverplate comprises a second side wall, a second bottom wall that extendssubstantially perpendicular to the second side wall from a bottom edgeof the second side wall, and one or more coupling features that aredisposed at a distal end of the second bottom wall that is away from thesecond side wall, and wherein the one or more coupling features of thesecond cover plate are configured to engage complementary couplingfeatures in the base wall of the main body to hingedly and removablycouple the second cover plate to the main body.
 9. The junction box ofclaim 8, wherein the one or more coupling features include a tab with ahooked end.
 10. The junction box of claim 1: wherein the componentmounting wall of the cover plate includes a regressed surface disposedon opposite sides of a mounting pad, and wherein each regressed surfacedefines a cavity that is configured to receive at least a portion of acoupling feature of a second cover plate that is used to hingedly andremovably couple the second cover plate to the main body, the secondcover plate configured to cover a second open side defined by the mainbody.
 11. The junction box of claim 1: wherein the cover plate iscoupled to the main body such that the component mounting wall of thecover plate is disposed on the base wall of the main body.
 12. Thejunction box of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring cable issubstantially horizontally oriented.
 13. The junction box of claim 1,wherein the electrical wiring cable is substantially verticallyoriented.
 14. A junction box comprising: a main body comprising a topwall, a base wall, a first side wall connected to a first chamfer wall,and a second side wall connected to the base wall and the top wall, themain body defining a first open side and a second open side; a firstcover plate that is removably coupled to the main body and that coversthe first open side defined by the main body when the first cover plateis attached to the main body, the first cover plate comprising a firstnotch and a first opening; a second cover plate that is removablycoupled to the main body and that covers the second open side defined bythe main body when the second cover plate is attached to the main body,the second cover plate comprising a second notch and a second opening;and a fastening device that comprises: a first regressed neck receivedby the first notch and a first fastening feature received by the firstopening and configured to retain the first cover plate to the main body,and a second regressed neck received by the second notch and a secondfastening feature received by the second opening and configured toretain the second cover plate to the main body.
 15. The junction box ofclaim 14: wherein the junction box further comprises a wire trapdisposed on the chamfer wall, the wire trap configured to receive andpass an electrical wiring cable therethrough, and wherein the secondcover plate comprises a mounting pad that is configured to attach anelectrical component thereto using a fastener such that the second coverplate and the electrical component attached thereto are movable andaccessible as a single unit, the electrical component being associatedwith an operation of a luminaire.
 16. The junction box of claim 14,wherein the fastening device further comprises: an elongated body thatis coupled to the main body of the junction box.
 17. The junction box ofclaim 14, wherein the electrical wiring cable is substantiallyhorizontally oriented.
 18. The junction box of claim 14, wherein theelectrical wiring cable is substantially vertically oriented.
 19. Thejunction box of claim 15, wherein the electrical component is atransformer.
 20. The junction box of claim 14: wherein the second coverplate includes a pair of mounting feet that are configured to engagecomplementary mating slots in the base wall of the main body to hingedlyand removably couple the second cover plate to the main body.